Bismarck Tribune

By JENNY MICHAEL

Extra officers on the street Friday night arrested 36 people at one party.

Officer Pat Renz said four extra officers were working around liquor stores Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight in an effort to reduce purchase and consumption of alcohol by minors. After midnight, the two uniformed and two plainclothes officers assisted other officers in responding to loud party calls.

The officers responded to two loud party calls between midnight and 3 a.m. The first call ended up being nothing more than a group of adults making noise while playing video games. But the second call, at 12:37 a.m. Saturday, kept the officers busy until 3 a.m., Renz said.

At the party, 35 adults under 21 years old were arrested for minor in consumption, and one person was arrested for criminal mischief for damaging a window at the home on the 200 block of North 15th Street, Renz said. He said officers also informed the renter of the property that they would be forwarding a report to the city attorney for a possible charge of guests on premises.

Lt. Mike Arnold, who heads the police department's Police Youth Bureau, said the extra officers were paid for by a grant administered by the North Dakota Highway Patrol from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Arnold was not sure if 36 people at one party was the largest arrest netted by the police department.

"It's probably pretty darn close," he said.

Renz said the officers likely released people at the party as they arrested them, and they will receive summons to appear in court.

The extra officers also made a few other arrests Friday night while watching both Bismarck Captain Jack's locations, Cash Wise Liquor, Polar Package, Plaza Beer Depot, Stamart and Lander's:

n At 9:55 p.m., officers watched three men walk into Captain Jack's, 3131 Weiss Ave. Two men came out before the third did, and the third man had a package of alcohol when he came out of the business, Renz said. Officers followed the vehicle the men were in and eventually arrested the two men who had come out of the business first for minor in a liquor establishment. The third man did not transfer the alcohol to the other two men, so he was not arrested, Renz said.

n At 10:16 p.m., officers saw a man urinate next to his vehicle at a south Bismarck business, Renz said. They pulled the man over after he drove away, and officers learned he was driving under suspension and had a warrant out for his arrest. He also was arrested for indecent conduct.

n Two adults were arrested for open container of alcohol.

n One adult was arrested for driving under suspension.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)